Okay guys I just wanted you all to know that I have changed my NPH schedule to 4 shots a day. I do 15U in the morning and then 5U for lunch, Dinner and before bed for a total of 30units. I did the basal test last night out of the how to use insulin book, and for once I didn’t crash! Very happy about this. I am doing the first part of the day test today so I have to fast until 1(yay no bolus today =) well until dinner. Then tomorrow I am going to do the the second half of the day. So far no crashing! I think my husband about died when he realized I am doing 8 shots a day (4NPH and 4 Novolog) But my take is if it gives me better control all the better. I am still considering seeing if my endo will put me on lantus so that it is one shot of long acting a day. What do you guys think about that option?
That is a very creative solution but I think that Lantus is better. If you take the “curves” for NPH and plot out 4 of them, you probably get a flatter curve. What they told me when I got the pump was that NPH has only a 53% chance of peaking when it’s supposed to (8-12 hours, a pretty wide window too?) so, if you have the curves plotted out, and see how they can “add up” if say your first one is late and the second one is early or whatever, you can get some really nasty variation?
I think too that some dawn phenomenon that I was getting w/ that stuff was the nighttime N shots not working until after I got up so I’d have a CB+ the breakfast bolus chugging away and then the NPH would hit me likee a train. It may be that the split shots don’t hit you as hard but the other problem with adjusting and correcting the doses is that it is hard to tell if a high is b/c the N isn’t working and, if you correct it and the N starts working, you can drop pretty precipitously, if that makes sense?
That is very true! I found that out yesterday…nasty low… Yeah the more I read i just think Lantus is a better fit for me.
If you’re already taking that many shots, why bother with a hard to predict older insulin like NPH? You are doing lots of great work, but you would get far better results with far less effort with a bolus/basal regimen. Lantus is given in either one or two doses and Levemir in two. Many people find Levemir smoother.
I agree, Lantus or Levemir is way better than NPH. NPH Is nasty stuff to begin with, and with all the effort you’re putting it, you might as well use an insulin where that effort is going to pay off.
I am already on a bolus/basal regimen Zoe! I just want my lantus so I can stop having lows, especially now with the novolog sometimes the novolog and NPh cross, and zoom rock bottom!
Yes exactly! Thank you again friends! I love having a place to come and talk…love the support!
I would not be at all surprised, if NPH will be taken off the Market …the sooner, the better ?
I hope so it is horrible. It is very old and just no a reliable drug IMPO.
I don’t know if NPH is strictly considered a basal insulin, but I could be wrong about that. Anyway I meant a long-acting insulin such as Lantus or Levemir, same as the other comments.
I’m cynical enough to think that cost conscious organizations like HMOs still want to use the older insulins because they are much cheaper. Ah, the profit motive!
That my friend is awesome! That is also want I want. I had actually never heard of levemir until all of you just said. perhaps i should look into that as well.
Hey at least she put me on a good rapid acting insulin like Novolog LOL! Now just have to fix the NPH and move on. =)
I’m just really glad that I found this board or I would be in big trouble with all of these doses and not knowing how to do this!
We all would be, Stardust.
My first insulins were NPH and Regular; I would not like to go back to that time. What we should remember though is that N and R can be bought w/o a prescription and w/o insurance, and cost much less than the others. I am sure that there are times for PWDs that one of those factors matter. For just one example, I can imagine being on a trip and losing my insulin: the N and R could be lifesaving despite the fact that the NPR is nowhere as good as Levemir or Lantus. The more options we have, the better.
Good point!
I used to do 6 equal shots of 5 units when on NPH work well that way. Lantus it is better to do 2 shots/24 hours.
When I was Dx, 12 years ago, w/T-1. I was put on NPH and Humalog, which I mixed in a syringe, 2x a day. I was told NPH was an “intermediate” acting insulin. That is why your doc has you taking it so many times a day. I would certainly think that a doc would know that Lantus or Levimir works much better than NPH. But then again, some docs are using archaic techniques for treating diabetics as we see every day. I switched to Lantus and Humalog about 6 or 7 years ago, definitely much better. I only take Lantus 1x a day and it carries me for 24 hrs.